The Single Public Service: The Recentralisation of South African Local Government?

Cameron, Robert

The Single Public Service: The Recentralisation of South African Local Government?

Conference Paper

2018-02-28

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Department of Political Studies

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Series

21st World Conference of the International Political Science Association (IPSA)

Abstract

The South African Constitution of 1996 vested local government with substantial decentralised powers. The intergovernmental framework moved from a hierarchical system towards a three-sphere system of government where the spheres are distinctive, interdependent and interrelated. The powers and functions of local government are entrenched in the Constitution. Local government has the ability to govern to govern the local government affairs of the community with limited ability of national and provincial government to intervene. However the results of this local government experiment have been mixed. A number of studies have pointed this out. Atkinson (2007) points out that local government is characterised by poor service delivery, poor responsiveness of municipalities to citizens’ grievances, a culture of self-enrichment amongst councillors and staff along with poor support from higher tiers of government. Cameron (2007) points out that that while there are pockets of excellence, local government is characterised by lack of capacity, clientelism and patronage. This has also been acknowledged by the government. A Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) report (2006A) stated that local government was characterised by ineffective and inefficient use of resources, poor revenue collection and poor operation and maintenance of existing infrastructure. The state is gradually beginning to recentralise local government powers. Centralisation is seen as a way of improving service standards. A number of measures have been taken which have begun to erode local government’s autonomy. This paper looks at the pending Single Public Service legislation which aims to transfer local government staff into the national and provincial public service. It is argued that this is not merely a technical Public Administration measure. It will be shown that the introduction of this legislation will lead to local government employees’ accountability being directed upwards and the erosion of local democracy. Furthermore, while local government has problems of capacity and corruption, its problems are no worse than the other spheres of government.

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